BRAVE NEW WORLD

Pete Hegseth Makes Big Change to Military Combat Roles

Fitness tests for combat roles will be the same for men and women, he ordered.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that physical fitness tests for military combat roles be “sex-neutral,” bringing to an end lower standards for some female troops. In an order announced Monday, Hegseth called on each branch of the military to submit proposals for new standards within 60 days, with approved standards taking effect within six months. “This review is a necessary step to strengthening the readiness of our forces and preparing for the future,” wrote the former Fox News host, who just last year said he opposed having women in combat roles at all. Hegseth also clarified that “no existing standard will be lowered in this process.” While the Army Rangers, Green Berets and Navy SEALS have always required equal fitness test thresholds, the Army and the Marines, for instance, do not. As of the end of 2022, women—who had been banned from combat roles until 2013—comprised 17.5 percent of the active duty force, according to the Defense Department. Hegseth’s order also requires military leaders to determine which are combat roles and which are not—an issue that may not be clear-cut.